In Friendship's Guise eBook

At the end of the week Jack’s opportunity came.
He had finished some work on which he had been employed
for several days, and soon after breakfast, putting
on a frock coat and a top hat he went off to town.
He presented a card at Lamb and Drummond’s,
and the senior partner of the firm, who knew him well
by reputation, invited him into his private office.
On learning his visitor’s errand, Mr. Lamb evinced
a keen interest in the subject. He listened attentively
to the story, and asked various questions.

“Here is the letter from my friend in Paris,”
Jack concluded. “You will understand its
import. It shows conclusively that M. Marchand
came to my studio under a false name, and leaves no
room for doubt that it was he who stole my duplicate
Rembrandt.”

“I agree with you, Mr. Vernon. It is a
puzzling affair, and I confess I don’t know
what to make of it. But it is exceedingly interesting,
and I am very glad that you have confided in me.
I think it will be best if we keep our knowledge strictly
to ourselves for the present.”

“By all means.”

“I except the detectives who are working on
the case.”

“Yes, of course. They are the proper persons
to utilize the information,” assented Jack.
“It should not be made public.”

“I never knew that a copy of Von Whele’s
picture was in existence,” said Mr. Lamb.
“I need hardly ask if it is a faithful one.”

“I am afraid it is,” Jack replied, smiling.
“I worked slowly and carefully, and though I
was a bit of an amateur in those days, I was more
than satisfied with the result. The pictures were
of the same size; and I really don’t think many
persons could have distinguished the one from the
other.”

“Could you do that now, supposing that
both were before you, framed alike, and that the duplicate
was cunningly toned to look as old as the original?”

“I should not hesitate an instant,” Jack
replied, “because it happens that I took the
precaution of making a slight mark in one corner of
my canvas.”

“Ah, that was a clever idea—­very
shrewd of you! It may be of the greatest importance
in the future.”

“You have not yet given me your opinion of the
mysterious Frenchman,” Jack went on. “Do
you believe that he was concerned in both robberies?”

“Circumstances seem to point that way, Mr. Vernon,
do they not? Your picture was certainly taken
before mine?”

“It was, without doubt.”

“Then, what object could the Frenchman have
had in stealing the comparatively worthless duplicate,
unless he counted on subsequently getting possession
of the original?”

“It sounds plausible,” said Jack.
“That’s just my way of looking at it.
The advantage would be—­”

“That the thieves would have two pictures, equally
valuable to them, to dispose of secretly,” put
in Mr. Lamb. “We may safely assume, then,
that our enterprising burglars are in possession of
a brace of Rembrandts. What they will do with
them it is difficult to say. They will likely
make no move at present, but it is possible that they
will try to dispose of them in the Continental market
or in America, in which case I have hopes that they
will blunder into the hands of the police. Proper
precautions have been taken both at home and abroad.”